Department for Transport

Road Traffic Offences: Mobile Phones

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to implement the plan they announced on 19 November 2021 to expand the circumstances in which it is illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government’s response to the consultation on using a hand-held mobile phone while driving was published in November 2021. The response confirmed that the Government would be implementing the change proposed in the consultation document to broaden the offence of using a hand-held mobile phone while driving so that it captures standalone functions (such as taking a photo or scrolling for music stored on the phone) as well as the interactive communication functions covered now. The Government intends to make the change later this year.

Transport: Schools

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to bring into effect Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 to allow local authorities outside London to enable school street schemes to be enforced by cameras.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: We plan to introduce the regulations early this year, to come into force in the summer. Once the powers are commenced, local authorities wanting to undertake civil enforcement of moving traffic contraventions, including prescribed traffic signs for use at school street schemes, will need to apply to the Secretary of State for an Order to be made designating the council as the enforcement authority in their area.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Petrol: Prices

Lord Naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with petrol retail companies regarding the reported increase in profit margin per litre of petrol; and what assessment they have made of the reasons for this increase.

Lord Callanan: The Department’s officials are in regular contact with the major companies in the fuel supply industry, including those with petrol retail operations, to discuss a range of issues.This Department’s analysis shows that retail prices of petroleum products, such as petrol and diesel, are primarily driven by the underlying price in the global market of crude oil and by exchange rates.The Government has kept fuel duty frozen for the twelfth consecutive year, helping the average UK driver save a cumulative £1,900.

Office for Environmental Protection: Disclosure of Information

Baroness Parminter: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to add the Office for Environmental Protection to the list of protected (1) persons, and (2) bodies, for whistleblowers.

Lord Callanan: The Government is considering adding the Office for Environmental Protection as a Prescribed Person for whistleblowing disclosures and work is underway to confirm that it satisfies the relevant criteria.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to communicate the need for public take-up of the COVID-19 booster vaccination via (1) national, and (2) local, media.

Lord Kamall: The national ‘Get Boosted Now’ campaign was launched on 12 December 2021 in both national and local media, highlighting the importance of those eligible receiving a booster dose. Ministers, scientists, clinicians and celebrities have shared messaging, supported by a large-scale marketing campaign, including TV, radio, press partnerships, and digital and social media.There is also ongoing local engagement with stakeholders, community groups and faith leaders to reinforce the booster vaccination campaign with ethnic minority communities, patient groups and disproportionately impacted communities. We are also sponsoring information articles in more than 600 newspaper titles, including multicultural newspapers in multiple languages. The COVID-19 vaccination leaflets produced by the UK Health Security Agency have been translated into 28 languages including Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Hindi, Panjabi and Urdu.

NHS: Patients

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to create formal roles for patient representation at all levels of NHS decision-making structures, including Integrated Care Boards.

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of existing levels of accountability of NHS decision-making; and what plans they have to increase the centrality of patients in decision-making structures in future.

Lord Kamall: The Health and Care Bill includes duties on integrated care boards (ICBs) to involve patients, carers and the public in their decision making, which applies at all levels of the organisation. Currently, NHS England assesses each clinical commissioning group on its delivery against the patient and public involvement duties through the NHS Oversight Framework. We anticipate that this will continue for ICBs. The assessment includes providing evidence of how the involvement of people and communities has informed the organisation’s decision-making about commissioning and changes to services.Subject to Parliamentary approval, NHS England will produce statutory guidance to support integrated care systems to effectively involve people and communities. This will clarify the responsibilities of all ICB members to provide leadership and accountability for how people and communities are involved.

Integrated Care Systems

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce greater transparency over how Integrated Care Systems will be (1) scrutinised, and (2) held to account, in relation to patient care.

Lord Kamall: NHS England will continue to transparently scrutinise and hold to account National Health Service organisations which form part of an integrated care system (ICS). Subject to the passage of the Health and Care Bill, NHS England will publish an updated Oversight Framework in 2022/23 that reflects the new statutory basis for integrated care boards (ICBs) and ICSs. The Bill will also place a new duty on the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to review each ICBs’ provision of NHS care, public health, adult social care, the functions of the ICB, local authorities and CQC-registered providers for that provision and the system as a whole. ICBs will also be subject to transparency requirements, including the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, to allow patients and the public to hold their ICB to account.

Ministry of Justice

Mental Capacity Small Payments Scheme

Lord Young of Cookham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many responses the Ministry of Justice have received to their recent consultation on the Mental Capacity Small Payments Scheme.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: We received 228 responses to the consultation on the Mental Capacity Small Payments Scheme. Officials are currently analysing the responses with the aim of publishing the Government response in the Spring.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Afghanistan: Humanitarian Aid

Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to provide official channels to support charities sending aid funding to Afghanistan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: On 22 December, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2615 which added a humanitarian exception to the sanctions regime established by resolution 1988 (2011), enabling the provision of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. The UK government is now working as a priority to update the relevant UK legislation to implement this exception. The UK government continues to work closely with the UN and non-governmental organisations (NGO) to ensure that UK aid benefits Afghans in need while meeting our international obligations. We are providing life-saving humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan through the UN, NGOs and the Red Cross Movement on the ground, who are continuing to ensure vital aid reaches those who need it most. We have made the humanitarian situation and access a major subject of our engagement with the Taliban. We continue to monitor this closely.

Afghanistan: Humanitarian Aid

Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given in collaboration with the United Nations about granting an exemption from sanctions for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan; and how they and international partners will monitor the effectiveness of any agreed resolutions.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: On 22 December, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2615 which added a humanitarian exception to the sanctions regime established by resolution 1988 (2011), enabling the provision of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. This resolution will help save lives, by ensuring that the 1988 sanctions regime poses no obstacle to the provision of humanitarian assistance and other activities that support basic human needs in Afghanistan. This directly responds to what the humanitarian community told us they needed. The UK government is now working as a priority to update the relevant UK legislation to implement this exception. The UN will report on the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan while the exception is in place.

Kazakhstan: Politics and Government

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current political and security situation in Kazakhstan, following the recent protests and violent unrest in the country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government is closely following events in Kazakhstan. We greatly regret the loss of life and injuries sustained as a result of recent unrest and condemn the violence and destruction of property that occurred, particularly in the city of Almaty. The reasons behind the violence remain unclear, although we note that President Tokayev has characterised what happened as an 'attempted coup'. We also take note of the President's decision to establish an investigative commission and await a full account of what led to these unprecedented events and loss of life. I was assured by President Tokayev's Special Representative, Ambassador Kazykhan, that the work of the commission would be transparent and effective.The Government's long-standing position is that legitimate protest must be peaceful and genuine grievances resolved through dialogue. We have called for law enforcement responses to be proportionate, and for freedom of speech and expression to be respected in line with Kazakhstan's international commitments. We will continue to underline these points in our engagement with the Kazakh Government, as we seek to understand the chain of events and to ensure that human rights are upheld.

Kazakhstan: Demonstrations

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many human rights and social media activists they believe to have been arrested in Kazakhstan in the last month; what is known about their status and wellbeing; and what estimate they have made of the number of fatalities involving protestors.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of reports that human rights activists and social media activists were among those detained during recent unrest in Kazakhstan and we are seeking further information from the authorities.In recent meetings with the Special Representative of the President of Kazakhstan, the Deputy Foreign Minister and the Kazakh Ambassador to the UK, I underlined the importance of respect for international human rights obligations, including commitments to freedom of speech and expression. I also sought assurances that due process will be followed as those who were arrested are processed through the Kazakh judicial system.We greatly regret the loss of life during the recent violent clashes. We are aware of figures from official sources that indicate that as many as 225 were killed in addition to 19 law enforcement officers. Many hundreds are reported to have been injured. We have urged the Kazakh authorities to make available further information, including numbers of casualties, as part of a thorough and transparent investigation into the causes and consequences of recent events.

Jerusalem: Housing

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) reports that 3,500 new homes for Israeli settlers are planned for construction in East Jerusalem, and (2) the impact that any such housing developments in Givat Hamatos and Har Homa would have on the contiguity of Palestinian land in the Occupied Territories.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK's position on settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law. Minister Cleverly raised UK opposition to settlement expansion with the Government of Israel on 9 November.

Afghanistan: Diplomatic Relations

Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reopen the diplomatic mission in Afghanistan; and what discussions they have had with the government of France concerning a joint mission.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We intend to re-establish a diplomatic presence in Kabul as soon as the security and political situation in Afghanistan allows, and are coordinating this effort with allies. We are in regular contact with the French Government.

Ministry of Defence

Autonomous Weapons: Treaties

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the International Committee for the Red Cross’s analysis that a new legally-binding instrument, including prohibitions and positive obligations, is required to regulate autonomous weapons systems.

Baroness Goldie: We regularly engage with a wide range of stakeholders on lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS), including those - such as the International Committee of the Red Cross - that believe a new legally binding instrument on LAWS is necessary. The UK does not support calls for a legally binding instrument on LAWS. Our view remains that International Humanitarian Law (IHL) provides a robust, principle-based framework for the regulation of weapons development and use, and we will continue to engage at the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons seeking to clarify the prohibitions and positive obligations around the use of autonomous weapon systems under IHL.

Autonomous Weapons

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of increasing autonomy in weapons systems on (1) civilian protection, and (2) compliance with international humanitarian law.

Baroness Goldie: The deployment in armed conflict of any weapon system - including one with autonomous functions - which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians would be contrary to International Humanitarian LAW (IHL) and therefore unlawful. We strongly believe that AI and autonomy within weapon systems can and must be used lawfully and ethically. Autonomous systems have the potential to support the better application of IHL by improving the evidence, analysis and timeliness of decision making.

Autonomous Weapons

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they maintain the position that the UK does not possess fully autonomous weapon systems and has no intention of developing them.

Baroness Goldie: Our position on fully autonomous weapon systems is clear and unchanged. The UK does not possess fully autonomous weapon systems and has no intention of developing them. When deploying autonomous weapon systems we will always ensure meaningful and context-appropriate human involvement across the system lifecycle from development to deployment, ensuring human responsibility for outcomes.

Defence: Innovation and Technology

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they seek to reconcile a focus on tackling the proliferation of advanced military technologies with prioritising the development and integration of new technologies “required for near-peer, high-tech warfighting”, such as “AI-enabled autonomous capabilities” as identified in the Ministry of Defence’s Defence in a Competitive Age paper, published in March 2021.

Baroness Goldie: The Ministry of Defence is committed to developing and deploying AI-enabled systems responsibly and promoting responsible use worldwide. The UK will work with allies and partners to address the issue of proliferation of advanced military technologies such as AI-enabled autonomous capabilities. This will include reinforcement of the disarmament and export control regimes, treaties and organisations; development of the means of preventing AI proliferation or misuse; and monitoring the risks of AI exacerbating existing counter-proliferation and arms control challenges. This will ensure that the opportunities gained from the development and integration of new technologies are balanced with appropriate controls.

Defence: Artificial Intelligence

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish the Artificial Intelligence Defence Strategy; and what consultation, including public consultation, they have carried out to inform the strategy.

Baroness Goldie: The Defence AI Strategy is in the final stages of review. We expect to publish the strategy in spring 2022. This Strategy has been informed by consultations with key AI industry leaders, UK academia, and our Allies.

Home Office

Counter-terrorism

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to lay before Parliament the report of the Independent Review of the Prevent Programme; and whether the review is still accepting further comments or evidence.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Independent Review of Prevent is currently ongoing. The Independent Reviewer of Prevent will complete and present his report to the Home Secretary. The Government will consider its findings and recommendations very carefully once it is completed and will publish the review and the Government response in due course. The Review’s call for evidence closed on 9 June 2021.

Refugees: Afghanistan

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many refugees have been evacuated from Afghanistan to the UK since August 2021; how many of those are currently living in temporary accommodation in the UK; and how many of those have been found permanent homes in England.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Over 15,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan under Operation Pitting. A further 1,500 people have been given assistance to enter the UK since the initial evacuation took place.Those who we evacuated were a mixture of British Nationals, mixed family units and those who qualified for ARAP and who will qualify for ACRSThere are currently 12,000 in Bridging Hotel Accommodation.To date we have successfully moved over 4,000 people into permanent accommodation and are working at pace with our Local Authority partners in order to secure permanent accommodation for those still in temporary accommodation.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Arts: Coroanvirus

The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have measured the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on (1) creative freelancers, and (2) other creative workers; and if so, by what means.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: We recognise the significant challenge the pandemic poses to our arts and creative sectors and to the many individuals and freelancers working across these industries.DCMS officials have been engaging with HMRC, the Creative Industries Federation (CIF), Arts Council England, and leading organisations such as ‘What’s Next’ and individual freelancers within the sector to better understand the level of impact the pandemic has had on the sector and those working in it.We have supported freelancers through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) which was extended at Budget to September 2021. Freelancers are also supported through the unprecedented Culture Recovery Fund support package, which has helped ensure the venues and organisations which support them have survived the pandemic. We were also pleased to announce Government funding via Arts Council England last December of an immediate £1.5 million emergency support for freelancers affected by the pandemic, alongside a further £1.35 million contribution from the theatre sector.We will continue to work closely with freelancers and organisations across the sectors to see how we can best provide support to those affected.

Public Lending Right: Finance

The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential to support authors by increasing the Public Lending Right Fund.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: There has been no assessment of an increase of the Public Lending Right (PLR) central fund. The PLR central fund is part of the overall funding for the British Library, which is set for each Spending Review period.The PLR Scheme is a valued right for authors and other contributors to receive payment when their books are borrowed from public libraries. My department conducts an assessment of the rate per loan annually following a recommendation by the British Library. The PLR rate per loan calculation is based on the annual number of ‘notional loans’ of books from public libraries in the UK.